Peace in the Holy Land

I watched with interest today at the Press Statements at the White House with President Trump and President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority. Both spoke of their hopes for peace in the Holy Land. Earlier this year Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel visited with Pres. Trump.

While all of the talk was good to hear, I certainly hope that one day there will be peace in the Holy Land. It can be done but it will be very difficult to achieve.

Listening to this, I recalled my own experiences during my many visits to the Holy Land.. I especially remember one day at the Temple Gate in Jerusalem when I had a chance encounter with two elderly men. One was a rabbi, the other a Palestine and they knew I was a priest. In discussing all of the violence and problems in the area, both men told me the same thing.

They said that all they wanted, and what most of the people wanted, was to live in peace; to be able to raise their children without fear; to enjoy family life; to be able work; to live in a spirit of peace and friendship. I wondered why that wasn’t being achieved. They both said it was the politicians on both sides. The people wanted none of the violence and constant tensions.

So that was from both sides of the story, which if you look at what they said, are pretty much both the same. I have heard pretty much the same thing from similar people around Israel and Palestine.

Hopefully the politicians on both sides will listen to their own people, their average citizens; and just maybe, if they do, peace will finally come to a land too long suffering.